Truck bolster



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 T. H. SYMINGTON ET AL TRUCK `oLs'rER Filed April 9,1926 Dec. 20, 1932.

Dec. 20, 1932. T. H. sYMlNGToN ET Al.

TRUCK BoLsTER Filed April 9, 1926 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dec. 20,1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 T. H.SYMINGTON .AND SON, INCL, OF `BALTI- l' Moms, MAnYLAlvD, A CORPORATIONor MARYLAND TRUCK BOLSTER Application led April 9,

The invention relates to holsters for railway car trucks.

The primary object of the invention, generally stated, is to provide atruck bolster having side bearings so formed, mounted and arranged as totake the Weight ofthe load instead of the load coming upon a centerbearing as is the common practice. An important object of the inventionis to provide a truck bolster and side bearing mechanism thereon forcoaction with the side earing elements which depend from the car bodybolster, the taking of theWeight on the side bearings beingof-'Inaterialv advantage in reducing or eliminating roll of the car bodyin addition to reducing the bending moment bolster, so that the Weightmay be reduced, the decrease in the bending moment consequently reducingthe Working stress.

It is Well known that in the conventional type of bolster and bearingconstruction, the Weight of the car body is borne upon the centerbearings, there being a lcertain amount of clearance betweenthe sidebearings onthe truck bolster and the coacting depending elements on thecar body bolster. During car travel, any slight inequalities in thetracks and the passage of the car Wheels over the successive rail jointsWill develop a side sway or roll which may, in case of synchronizationWith the passage of the Wheels over the rail joints at certain speeds,result in a pendulumlike movement which becomes excessive and which maycause the truck Wheels to leave the tracks.

[t is with the above facts in view that We have designed the presentinvention which has for its more specific object the provision of a sidebearing structure which will always sustain the load, the bearingelements on the truck belster remaining constantly in contact with theelementsy depending from the car body bolster, there being consequentlyno clearance at these points and therefore no tien, being capable of1926. Serial No. 100,943.

ings embody or include rollers engaged by top i Wear plates soconstructed as to receive the depending bearing elements of the car bodybolster, the provision of the rollers permit ting swivelling movement ofthe'trucks with respect to the car body Without undue'wear and insuringflexibility.

Another object of the invention is to proi vide a structure of thischaracter in which the side bearing rollers may have toothed orinteritting relation With the adjacent bearing elements engaged therebyfor insuring centering and return of the parts to normal position afterswiveling movement of the truck With respect to the car body.

Another vimportant object of the invention is to provide a bolster andbearing structure in which leaf springs may be provided beneath the sidebearings for increasing the ultimate resistanceof existing bolstersprings and thereby relieving the side fralnesfjournals, rails androadbed of serious dynamic blows, compression in the leaf springs actingto provide cross equalization for the car body, the Wheel loads on therail and occurrence of light WheelV loads prevented. i

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a bolster andside bearing structure which may embody leaf springs cushioning the sidebearings, the springs possessing an absorption value and preferablyhaving` a different period of oscillation than the existing truck coilsprings and consequently eliminating vertical jiggle and reducing carroll.

Still another object oi' the invention is to provide a bolster embodyingthe above mentioned structural characteristics and, in addireplacing thepresent types of holsters, it being consequently posbeing equalized l'sosible to install the new equipment without necessitating alteration ofthe cars or trucks,

the bolster being, moreover, of such construction that all the workingparts are retained therewithin, facilitating shipping,

handling and assembly and avoiding loss of arts in wrecks.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects and advantageswhich will be made apparent as the description progresses, the inventionpreferably consists in the construction, arrangement and combination ofparts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, andillustrated in the accompanying'drawings in which:

Figure 1 is aplan view, partly broken away, of one end of a bolster andside bearing structure embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a central vvertical longitudinal section,

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section taken on substantially the line 3-3of Figure 2,

Figure l is a vertical cross section taken on substantially the line l-lof Figure 1.

Referring more particularly 'to the drawings the numeral 1 vdesignatesthe body of the truck bolster which is of hollow formation and which maybe constructed as a cast ing, pressing or the like and provided withanysuitable or desired number of reinforcing webs or elements 2. At thecenter of the upper surface of the bolster there is provided a circularflange 3 at the place usually occupied by the customary center bearing`though, as will be hereinafter pointed out, no weight comes upon thebolster at this point. Beyond its center and its outer ends, the bolsteris provided with upstandirig` flanges l of arcuate shape, concentricwith the vertical axis of the body of the bolster and braced orreinforced by Webs 5. The body of the bolster is also formed with apocket 6 defined between the flanges l and extending throughout theheight, this pocket being of a preferably arcuate shape corresponding tothe space between the flanges. The bottom of the pocket is closed'eXceptfor openings 7 provided for the escape of any water, snow or otherforeign matter which may enter, while the top is entir'ly open. Thepocket 5 is located inwardly of the end to a sufficient extent that theend portion 8 may be accommodated within the side frame in the usualmanner without any interference whatsoever.

' Mounted within each pocket 6 is a bearing member 9 supported in oneform of the invention, by a plurality of spring plates or leaves 10arranged in one or more banks as may be found preferable. rEhe undersideof the member 9 is represented asv recessed or otherwise formed toembracingly receive and accoinmodiate the upper portion of the bank orbanks of springs, and located at opposite sides of the bottom of thepocket are, preferably, supporting elements 11 upon which body of thebolster.

the ends of the springs rest, though it is conceivable that they mightbe supported directly by portions of the pocket. rlhe upper surface ofthe member 9 is inclined so as to form a suitable seat for afrusto-conical roller 12, here represented as of hollow formation,principally for the sake of lightness. Supported upon the roller is abearing member 13 having an inclined lower surface 14 confor ing theretoand provided in its top with a socket or recessed portion 15 for theaccomdation of the depending side bearing element, not shown, carried bythe car body bolster and forming part of the regular equip ment. Themember 13 is of arcuate shape so as to fit properly, but with someclearance, between the flanges 4. lt is intended that the member 13 bemovable in a path concentric with the vertical Vanis of the truckbolster, and to insure'return of the parts to normal position aftermovement that may occur, the roller is preferably provided at its endswith teeth 16 and 17 meshing with teeth 18 and 19 respectively,

of the member 13. The bearing member 9 is also preferably provided atits opposite ends with teeth 20 and 21 with which the teeth 16 and 17mesh. lt will of course be understood that when thebody bolster swivelsor rotates with respect to the truck bolster, the teeth 18 and 19 on theformer` interlitting with the teeth 16 and 1T on the rollers will causethese rollers to turn and to roll with respect to the bearing members inthe truck bolster, the teeth 16 and 17 at `the bottom of the rollersinterfitting with the teeth .20 and 21`so that the rollers cannot slipor slide with respect to the lewe-rehearing members but will alwaysremain in a certain definite relationl to the body and truck bolsters.Upon the cessa-v tion of the force tending torotate or swivel thebolsters the body bolster will naturally return to its normal lpositionregistering or alining with the truck bolster and the interiitting teethat t ie top and bottom of the rollers and on the body bolster andbearing member vwill cause the rollers to return to their normal orcentral positions. lf these teeth were not provided it is conceivableYthat the rollers might shift laterally with the truck and body holsters.By the present 'arrangement it isclear thatthere is the equivalent of arack and movement so that there is no possibility of dislocation orderangement of the parts. The cross sectional configuration of theroller 12I is, more or less, immaterial though, in the present instance,it is represented as having its opposite sides cut away and preferablyconcaved, as :shown at Q2 so as to permit considerable rocking movementof the roller without striking against the opposite sides of the lnFigures 3 and 4, it will be observed that the opposite sides of thebolster are recessed at 2,3 for the accomon the undersidev respect to iico tno

lBO

modation of the edges of the roller during the dot- `and dash line 32 inFigures and its rocking movement. By this particular 4, thus providingresilience. in addition to construction it will be clear that thebolster that resulting from the employment of the may be madecomparatively narrow While usual truck springs. As the lower surfacelstill permitting the necessary and proper of the mem-ber 9 is convex theflexing strain IOeling mOVemeDfton the spring leaves or' plates will becon- 0f COHrSe the Springs 10111215" be Plleed Urlcentrated at thecenter until the springs have der initial compression and to maintaingiven o1- eXed downwardly to such an exthis, while the bolster is out ofthe car truck, tent, that practically the entire 'area of the We may lfdesll'etl, Provide stop broelets 24: underside of the member- 9 bearsconformor the like secured to the body of the bolster lngl'y against theuppermost leaf or plate. at convenient points, such, as for instance,The provision of these springs auxiliary to upon the flanges 4, thesebrackets overlying the regular truck Springs Will be of man@ the flangesand extending over-the member fest advantage in absorbing any hammer- 13te a Sufficient extent terestrain it against like blows which mightotherwise come upon i upward movement under the expansive inthe parteand danger of injury to `any of the fluence of the springs. By virtue ofthis armechanism will be greatly reduced.`

rangement, it will be seen that the parts may In View of the foregoing,i'twill be geen be assembled and will be held together SO that we havedisclosed means whereby the that the bolster will constitute a completeWeight of the eanand all forces will be susentity OI assembly ready t0be lhstllletl to tained by the side bearings alone instead of take theplace of ordinary equipment. by Center bearings as is the Ordinary prac-Obviously, there ls bollrlrl to be en o ht` tice, the meansi-ncludingrollers which perwardend thrust on the rollers 12, for which mitrelative movement of the body bolster reesoh We here Provldetl WeerPlates 25 loand truck bolster, the rollers being, more-L cated withinthe pockets @against the outer over preferably Shaped t0 have theirnat.'

Wells thereof.,- these Wear Pletesbelhg Prefural paths correspond to theVpath of move- @Tab-ly formed bosses Wlllch Wltltl.- lnent of thebearing elel'nents dein reCeSSQS in the Ollter ends Of the roll", pendfrom bolster, IDOVLZL 39 ers- Owing t0 the relatively large aree of mentbeing thereby facilitated. vIn that aux1 iliary springs are provided aspart of the these wear plates it should be understood that thefretlohill resistance between the outer side bearing structure, it isclear that the ulends of the rollers and the adjacent walls of time@'resistance of existing truck vSprings the booketsr or the Strahl-of theend thrust: will be increased, thereby relieving theV side Wlll bedlstrlbuteel throughout e Compareframes journals, wheels, rails androadbed tively large aree lhstefrfl of belhg eoheerv of serious dynamicblows. The compression trated or localized, the distribution naturaljpthe leaf springs will act as cross equalizaly aetlhg t0 Prevent thebringing of llhrlrle tion for the car body, thereby equalizing strelh orStress Poll ahy Pertlolller spot' wheel loads on the rails'andpreventing the I 40 Long Of the parts Should thelGfOI'e' bf2 asOccurrence of Wheel loadg is prefer..

surerl. f able that the leaf springs, having absorption Wlthlh theboeket 5 and formeel orl the qualities, have a different period ofoscillaopboslte eldes thereof We Preferably Protion from that of theexisting truck coil vide webs 28 which serve as means for main- Springsto eliminate Vertical jig-gh and 4.5 taining the bank or banks ofsprings in place reduce car T011, l

so that lateral shifting thereof cannot oclVhile We have shown anddescribed a pre.

cur. The recessingof. the underside of the fel-red .fol-m of theinvention,k it Should be member 9 ProVlCleS glllele Webs 29 Whleh areunderstood that the disclosure .is ymerely an fOr the Purpose 0fmaintaining the member exemplification ofthe possibilities inasmuch 50 9lh Proper relatloh to the Sprlhgs- Atteh" as various changes andvariations mayl he tion ls directed t0 th@ fact that bottoni resorted t0under many dierent Circum- 30 0f the member 9, Where lt engages the UP-Vstances. Ve wish it understood that we re- Perlhost Spring leef ol'Plate 1s oohVeX- The serve the right to make all'such modificamembersllvare located at the lower eorrlers tions in the details ofconstruct-ion and the are inclined or curved from the outer edges v rdedSuch Changes-constitute no departure downwardly toward the oerlter 0fthe bottom fromthe `spirit of the invention or the scope of the bolsterso that only the ends of the of the claims hereunto appended.

lowermost spring leaf or plate will be in en- Having thus described thevinvention, we

^ C0 gagement with the members ll under light olnnn; y Y

load conditions. lVhen a downward thrust l. A railway truck bolsterhaving a pocket upon t-he side bearing occurs, it is clear that therein,a roller mounted within the pocket the resultant downward movement ofthe and capable of movement laterally of the bolmember 9 Will cause thespring leaves or ster, means engaging the roller forcoaction o of thepocket 6 and their upper surfaces 31 arrangement and CombinationVofparts pro- G5 plates to flex downwardly as indicated by with sidebearing elements of a body bolster, i'

means normallymaintaining the roller in centered relation to thebolster, and thrust means at theouter end of the roller and carriedthereby.

2. The combination with a railway body bolster having side bearingelements, of a truck bolster having a pocket structure therein, a rollerlocated within said pocket structure, a member bearing on the roller andcoacting with the side bearing element-s of the body bolster, meanscoacting with the roller for normally maintaining it and said member incentered relation, and thrust take-up means between the outer end of theroller and the adjacent wall of the pocket.

3. The combination with a railway body bolster having side bearingelements, of a truck bolster having a pocket structure therein, asupport within the pocket, a roller located within said pocketstructure, a member bearing on the roller and movable with the sidebearing elements of the body bolster, means on the support and membercoacting with the roller for normally maintaining the support, memberand roller in centered rela- Y tion, and thrust take-up means carried bythe outer end of the roller and bearing against the outer wall of thepocket.

4. In a railway car, the combination with a body bolster havingdepending side bearing elements, of a truck bolster having a pockettherein, a supporting member located the pocket, a roller mounted on thesupporting member, a bearing member mounted upon the roller and formedto receive the depending bearing element of the body bolster, saidbolsters being capable of relative swiveling movement, means normallymaintaining the supporting member, bearing member and roller in centeredrelation to each other, and thrust take-up means recessed into the outerend of the roller and bearing against the outer wall of the pocket.

5. A railway truck bolster comprising a hollow body having an arcuatepocket therein concentric with the vertical axis of the bolster, asupport within the pocket, a roller movably mounted upon the support, abearing member engaged upon the roller and movable along the arcuatepocket and adapted for cooperation with side bearing'elements of a bodybolster, a thrust receiving member carried by the .outer end of theroller, and guide means for said thrust receiving member.

6. A railway truck bolster comprising a hollow body having an arcuatepocket therein concentric with the vertical aXis of the bolster, asupport within the pocket, a roller movably mounted upon the support, abearing member engaged upon the roller and movable along the arcuatepocket and adapted for cooperation with-side bearing elements of a bodybolster, means normally maintaining the roller in a central positionwith respect to the pocket, thrust means carried by` the outer withinend of the roller, and guide means on said vth'rust'means cooperatingwith said bearing member.

7 .A railway truck bolster comprising a4 hollow body having an arcuatepocket therein concentric with the vertical axis of the bolster, asupport within the pocket, a roller movably mounted upon the support, abearing member engaged upon the roll-er and movable along the arcuatepocket and adapted for cooperation with side bearing elements of a bodybolster, and means normally maintaining the roller in a central positionwith respect to the pocket,

tral position subsequent to movement, and said means having its majorportion located within the pocket S. A railway truck bolster having apocket therein, a supporting member within the pocket having an inclinedface, a tapered roller movable upon said supporting member, a bearingmember engaged upon the roller and having an inclined face, member beingadapted for the side bearing element carried by a body bolster, saidpocket being of arcuate shape concentric with the'verticalaxis of thebolster and conforming to the path of movement of the roller, saidbearing member being located within the pocket. A l p 9. A' railwaytruck bolster having a pocket therein, a supporting member within thepocket having an inclined face, a tapered roller movable upon saidsupporting member, a bearing member located within the pocket engagedupon the roller and having an inclined face, said bearing member beingrecessed for the reception of a side bearing elementcarried by a bodybolster, said pocket being of arcuate shape concentric with the verticalaxis of the bolster and conforming to the path of movement of theroller, and coacting means on the supporting member, bearing member androller for restoring the parts to centered position subsequent tomovement.

10. A railway car truck zbolster formed with a transversely extendingarcuate pocket, and a side bearing structure located within the pocketand including a support, a roller movable along the support transverselyof the bolster in an arcuate path, and a bearing member mounted upon theroller and movable along the pocket in contact with onev wall thereof,said last named member being shaped to conform to the pocket.

11. A railway car truck with spaced wall members defining a pocket, anda side bearing structure mounted within the pocket and including a lowersupport, a roller movably mounted thereon, an upper support mounted onthe roller, and coacting teeth on the roller and both supports, saidupper support having a recess therein conbolster provided said bearingreception of a v said means acting also to return the roller and bearingmember to cenl llO ' the pocket, a

ormingly receiving a depending body bearing element fixed upon the bodybolster.

12. A railway car truck bolster provided with spaced walls defining a.transverse pocket, and a side bearing structure mounted within thepocket and including upper and lower supporting members and a rollermovably mounted between the same, and a wear take-up member interposedbetween the outer end of the roller and the adjacent wall of the pocket.

13. A railway car truck bolster provided with spaced walls dening a.transverse pocket, and a side bearing structure mounted within thepocket and including upper and lower supporting members and a rollermovably mounted between the same, and a wear take-up member interposedbetween the outer end of the roller and the adjacent wall of the pocket,the take-up member including a plate portion having a boss thereon, theouter end of the roller having a socket receiving the boss.

14. A railway car truck bolster provided with a pocket extendingtransversely thereof, a supporting member located within the pocket, aroller mounted on said supporting member, spring means located beneaththe supporting member for urging it upwardly, and means at the top ofthe pocket for holding said parts assembled.

15. A railway car truck bolster provided with a pocket extendingtransversely thereof, a supporting member located within the pocket, aroller mounted on said supporting member, spring means located beneaththe supporting member for urging it upwardly, the spring means includinga plurality of spring plates arranged in superposed relation, andremovable supports for the ends of the spring means.

16. A railway car truck bolster provided with a pocket and a sidebearing structure mounted therein including upper and lower supports, aroller interposed therebetween, a bank lower support and supported onlyat their ends, the lower surface of the lower support being conveXed andengaging the uppermost one of the spring plates.

17. A railway car truck bolster formed with a pocket and provided withguide webs extending inwardly from the side walls thereof, a supportingmember mounted within bank of leaf springs located within. the pocketbetween said guide webs and located beneath said supporting member, abearing member, and a roller located between the supporting member andthe bearing member, said springs being maintained normally under initialcompression.

18. A railway car truck bolster formed with a pocket and provided withguide webs extending inwardly from the sidewalls thereof, a supportingmember mounted within the of spring plates located beneath the.

tures.

Y THOMAS H. SYMINGTON.

PERCY' R. DRENNING.

maintained normally unl

